How To Remove A Bathtub
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- čas přidán 6. 05. 2014
- A demonstration of how to remove a cast iron bathtub during a remodel, as well a discussion on how to remove other types of tubs such as stamped steel or fiberglass.
Hey, it's not pretty but a sledgehammer can make fast work of removing a very heavy cast iron bathtub. - Jak na to + styl
I've removed many cast iron tubs and place an old wet towel over the tub before hitting with sledge hammer. keeps all the small pieces from flying all over the place and protects the person from flying debris.
good idea
I'm a homeowner about to demo my bathroom. This video really helped!!!
That's a hardworking Man. No one really knows the hard work that goes behind the bill
Im currently learning 🙋🏾♂️ 😂
appreciate your demo! I have to say that I got a good chuckle when the head of the sledgehammer fell off and you had to borrow the homeowners tool to finish off the job! That was awesome.
Thanks for the video. Just one comment: If you put a heavy blanket over the tub before you hit it with a sledge hammer, that should prevent most of the flying broken parts.
I'm about to start 2 bathroom projects and my research started here. this video has been very helpful and gives me a better idea how to get the job done. thanks for the video.
Best demo of a demo yet.
this is great, thanks! In the middle of this project, it really helps to see your way. Wish us luck!
If the homeowner is home when I do this I always warn them how loud breaking the tub will be. Nothing worse than a freaked out homeowner! 22 years as a building contractor has taught me a few things in human nature! Great informative video!
+geardriven It's true--some folks get really freaked out about aspects of the remodeling process! I make a point when I do any demolition to ask the homeowner to remove pictures on the wall or delicate displays on tables in adjoining rooms. The vibrations can cause things to fall.
I'm about to tear out an old cast iron tub and this video was great. Answered some of my questions and confirms some of my thoughts/ideas. Thank You for the awesome video.
Are you kidding me!! Where were you 2 months ago, My wife and I took our cast iron out in one piece and it was heavy as hell!! I wish I saw your video. It would of been so much easier. Thanks so much for making this.
HAHA! Timing is everything in life...
Fantastic video my friend, thank you for the help. Got mine out in under 90 minutes today. Obviously it's a pretty straight forward process, but this video really helped reassure me that it's definitely a do it yourself job. Cheers to you and yours!🍻
Good work on the video , keep making these your helping a lot of people man, keep grinding !!!
I watched your video and then went to do the same thing, never done it before, it took me about 5 minutes to knock it all out and even in half pieces it was very heavy to remove, I could only push it out of the house, so glad this beast is out :- ) thanks for the tips!!
Good video. I could hear and understand you! Thank you! Off to work I go.
I need to remove a tub and now know how, thanks for your video.
Thanks for sharing the knowledge. It helped me a bunch!
Now I'm not afraid of doing this myself thanks to you!
Must be very therapeutic slugging that tub. Great advice sir
Thank you sir. This is what I’m looking for.
Not only do we have the same era tub and tile we also have that exact same shower curtain. Buying a sledgehammer tomorrow......
lol@"tired old man." I know how you feel sometimes. Way to get it done!
that sledge looked older than my grandpa lol
Thanks for showing how this is done. Really helpful
good stuff. Like how you broke more than just the tub in that video... light, sledge hammer, camera... :)
True day in the life video
You've got a mean swing, that's for sure!
Good video. I went the sledgehammer route in another house. I of course had eye, face, ear and hand protection. BUT I was wearing shorts. After a few hits I look down and my legs were covered in blood. The porcelain becomes shrapnel so sharp I didn't feel it cutting me. Use a grinder!
I certainly wouldn't do demo in shorts. A grinder is no answer, though. That will also throw bits of porcelain and more critically it will throw sparks. Lots of sparks. With the dust and debris around it would be pretty easy to start a fire, and that's not something you want to risk.
LOVED THIS VIDEO :) THank you!!
Thank you for your informative video. Are you usually able to salvage the floor tile when removing a tub? We're on a budget and hoping we can. Thank you!
This is a common misconception. The floor tile can almost never be salvaged because the tile is installed right up to the tub. Even if you can remove the tub without cracking the existing tile, it would be like winning the lottery to install the new tub which is exactly the same size and resting in the exact same position as the original. What is more, the old tile was likely not installed well--I see all sorts of older methods which make me cringe--and so replacement is usually the smarter choice anyway. Otherwise, you're throwing good money after bad. In many cases the original installation method makes it impossible anyway, such as when "mud job" underlayment for the tile goes right up to the tub, which was installed on the plywood subfloor. As a pro I won't even consider trying to save the old tile because it's my reputation on the line. For a homeowner to try, the original install conditions would have to be exactly right, the new tub would have to be exactly right, and even then you'd likely have to remove the tile row adjacent to the tub and replace it later with spare tile which happened to be leftover from back in the day! In short, I'd advise you to suck it up and do it right.
You can if 1) you can cut a clean line and remove the first row of tile AND 2) are willing to accept patch-job to tie in. Basically - you can try and see how it turns out - depends on your situation and what your expectations are. It is not something I would ever go into a project expecting to get perfect results like in a customer's home - but in the right situation, I may try to keep it in my home or in the home of one of my relatives - if the need is there to change it but the money is not - you have to do what you have to do. You CAN get it waterproof and how well it looks will depend on what you can find to match and use - just understand there have been many techniques used to install flooring and you will probably have to do some research on here but it can be done if you have sufficient motivation and reasonable expectations
you can get tile for under $1 each, so think of the cost of your time to try and salvage and protect tile during a demo, when you can just install a new row of tiles...
💪🏻😡Nice video thanks for the tips brother !👍🏻
Could you use an air hammer and dry ice? Using an insulated glove, hold the dry ice in a localized spot to super cool the iron. This will bring it close to or below its ductile to brittle transition temperature making it much easier to crack. Then use an air chisel/hammer or a sledge hammer to crack it into pieces. Be sure to have plenty of ventilation. I have never seen this done but it seems like it would work.
Brandon Blatter Well, I don't typically carry dry ice on my trailer!
What was total cost of that job
very helpful video
Lol thanks. Informational and entertaining.
funny about the original blue tub having the white epoxy coating on it... I have the exact same situation at my house. original tub was blue and when we modernized the bathroom 10 years ago we painted it with a white epoxy to try and save money and time vs installing a new tub at that time. my epoxy held up better than the one in the video but yes it does start to peel off and look horrible. so now this time we are going to do it right with a new tub!
Yeah, I've never seen the epoxy coatings hold up in the long term. It's basically a strong paint, and that's a lot to ask of a coating of paint!
Thanks!!!
Question where do i trow away the pieces of the tub? Will it be ok if I put them in construction bags or where should I trow them out?
There's nothing toxic about cast iron or other tub materials. You can throw pieces away by the same method as any other construction debris. Some localities do have rules about getting rid of construction materials so you'll have to check locally. In my area you could dispose of it in regular household trash, although the weight of it could be prohibitive. Pros use a dumpster or, like me, have a license to dispose of construction debris at a transfer station.
did all the screws pop out of the gyproc on the other side of the wall?
Omega Man That can certainly happen, not just from breaking up a tub but even removing drywall from one side of the studs or other demolition. Part of the remodeling process is making little repairs like that to adjoining areas.
I usually cut a square around the drain with an old diamond blade if it cannot be unscrewed. and grind the screw heads off the overflow if the become stripped .
I'm sure that works, although I'm not a fan of the dust and sparks. I really haven't had any trouble just giving a few whacks around the drain with a hammer, which then cracks off a chunk. and then I can remove the rest of the tub for room to work. Of course, if it's a stamped steel or fiberglass tub I just cut around the drain with a reciprocating saw.
Hi, do you need to unplug the drain first? and how do you do that, or it's not necessary?
+Andy Leung If you have access to the drain assembly you can disconnect it to avoid damaging the pipes that will remain. If not, you can use the sledge to break around the drain area, leaving only a small section. Then you can disconnect the drain with the rest of the tub removed. I always replace the trap and overflow assembly when I do a remodel, so I'm not too concerned about damage to the pipes. If you have PVC or ABS pipes they often have some flexibility, if you have copper there is usually little flexibility. If you have galvanized pipe you'll want to replace all if it anyway!
+enduringcharm Thank you very much, I guess I will leave the cast iron tub as it is then, very very difficult to replace the pipe(cast iron as well on 10in concrete floor), and can't reach to disconnect.
+Andy Leung If your tub is located on a concrete slab then you may have different circumstances. I'm assuming your tub is located in an alcove with three sides. Older installations of this type often have a cavity under the drain for the trap to reside. Newer installations may have a style of tub where the trap is actually located above the level of the floor. In either case, think about how the tub was originally installed. The plumber had to be able to reach the trap and drain assembly somehow. If not from below, then from a side wall. If you are doing a full remodel then it would be a shame to leave an old tub in place that has seen better days. You may just have to cut an access hole in the wall by the drain to get to the pipes.
Hi - Can't you just take one out in one piece, if there's room? We have a similar tub but with a foot wide ledge t the far end. Can I just pull the tub out in one piece?
You didn't mention if you have a cast iron or a stamped steel tub. If it is cast iron it weighs several hundred pounds. If it is steel it might be 80 pounds. Either way, to get it out in one piece you'll need to clear away the wall surfaces down to the studs, including any area outside of the tub if the room itself is the same width as the tub (which was common in certain eras). You may also need to remove some of the finish floor in some circumstances. Then you'll need to disconnect the plumbing from the tub drain, which may be possible to do by reaching around the back, or possibly by unscrewing the drain from the top if you are very lucky, or else by cutting a hole in the ceiling below if you are unlucky. With that out of the way you can lift and tilt the tub toward you. If it is cast iron it will take at least two strong people. If you get it out of where it was installed, you now need to get a several hundred pound beast (if it is cast iron) downstairs, outside and into whatever container or truck you have for disposal. Obviously that's easier said than done when the house is occupied and you're trying not to ding the walls or furniture. The reason pros like me just break up the tub into pieces is because it is easier to get out and to dispose of that way.
If you break the drain that screws into the drain how can I moes forward on getting it loose. thanks in advance
I'm not sure I follow your question. Maybe some more detail?
+enduringcharm the drain on the bottom it unsrews from tub if I'm not mistaken (not the overflow drain)
Well, most (but not all) drain assemblies in a steel or cast iron tub are a two piece affair with an upper part that sits inside the tub in the drain recess and a lower part that screws into the upper part from underneath. In other words, they squeeze the tub drain recess from the top and the bottom. There is usually a rubber gasket underneath and either plumber's putty or silicone up top. Once the two pieces are screwed together, and a few decades have gone by, they are pretty tough to get apart. There is a cross-brace inside the top piece that you can try to use open pliers or another tool on to unscrew the top from the bottom. Often if the drain needs to be replaced it is necessary to open up an access hole in the ceiling below and have two people work on it--and even then it may be necessary to cut it free. But, if you are just removing the tub in a remodel then you can hammer around the drain for a cast tub or cut around it with a steel tub. With the big pieces out of the way you can cut or unscrew the trap from the drain assembly.
+enduringcharm OK thanks alot
Can you use an acetylene torch on cast iron? I hear it’s dangerous though
A cutting torch would be crazy. The porcelain coating would be cracking off like shrapnel, and the danger of starting a fire would be significant. The sledgehammer technique works just fine--I've done countless tubs that way.
Does the drain connect to the through the top of an cast iron tub? I can't get my to budge and it literally just broke my rigid drain wrench in half lmmfao
Yes, the drain is a two-piece assembly, with a receiver underneath and the trim screwed into the receiver from above. It's very common for this assembly to become basically welded together over time. I don't even bother trying to unscrew them. You can crack the cast iron tube around the drain and remove the rest of the tub to give you access to the pipes below. Or, sometimes you can reach the pipes from the side or from the ceiling below to disconnect them in advance. You will typically be replacing the trap anyway, so you can just cut it free if you can get access.
@9:30 the bathtub wins. LOL
BERNARD GOT EMOTIONAL WATCHING THIS
You did all that in an hour and a half? OMG - I'm thinking it will take me 3 days before I even get to the tub.
Oh Shellie!
wow they just tiled over drywall? I could see that leaking eventually. We used hardy board for our shower
Tiling over drywall inside the shower area was standard practice for at least four decades. "Green" board was often used, which was supposed to be less susceptible to moisture. While we no longer use that practice, it actually held up just fine as long as the original installation was detailed well and the caulking and grout was maintained. I've taken apart 35 year old baths with tile over drywall still in perfect shape.
If you chipped the porcelain away, could someone come in with a plasma cutter and cut the tub into sections, or would the house blow up? I also think a giant tarp taped into the tub before removing walls might work. (These thoughts coming from one who HATES to end up doing all the cleaning!)
+PDP Grrr I'm typically doing a full remodel when I remove a tub anyway, so this is the least of the mess. I think I'd leave the torch or the plasma cutter in the metal shop!
Right. Thanks.
+PDP Grrr Not unless you have a fire Extinguisher Near by, I would never work with anything that can cause a spark, Fire. Near Dry wood. Especially if a spark falls in between the Wood Beams. Even Drilling through dry hard wood can cause a fire, if the drill bit isn't sharp , Causing Friction and Heat, Trust me your beam will be on fire inside of it and you would even know it till you smell smoke.
Thanks for elaborating on that. Good to know.
Thanks for posting this; good info. Clearly this sh!+ is neither as easy, or as fun, as DIY Network makes it appear. Backbreaking, exhausting work...
👏👏👏
The last two I did I just demoed the sheetrock and took them out whole and took the restore. Less mess and aggravation for me.
I work alone, so I'm not eager to get a 300 pound tub down two flights of stairs and into my truck!
Is there not an easier way?
+ghostofmars83 Well, if you have a whole crew of people to help and you are gutting the whole room anyway it may be possible to carry out the tub whole. Then you still have to dispose of the unit as a whole too. Cast steel tubs are the most difficult to deal with, but I would rather break it apart and deal with the pieces.
enduringcharm I am with you on that. Thanks again for sharing. Keep up the awesome videos!
i use a sledgehammer until i can get my hammer chisel in.. then i just hammer chisel the tub in half :) pretty fast and easy on your back
I have no experience but what if you got a ratcheting chain, and just ratchet till it folds?
Interesting idea, but I think you'd find that there would be no easy way to get the chain around the whole tub and that it would take a lot more force than you imagine.
@@enduringcharm my intention is, hopefully to reduce, the need for heavy blows with the sledge hammer. Cause the tub were looking at is against a super thin wall to our neighbors. So I'm thinking, cutting anchor holes at each end and cross cuts along the center line (width-wise) where I hope it's folds, perhaps with an angle grinder.
I just did mine with a 6 pound maul, a big piece hit my leg, make sure you wear jeans not shorts, cover your vanity and mirror.
Yikes! Yes, demolition of any kind should be done with long pants and eye protection at a minimum.
Did mine last summer.. those suckers are heavy.
...you should be disconnecting the tub at the overflow and the drain before hammering on it with the sledgehammer.
In many cases it simply isn't physically possible to disconnect the drain before removing the tub, unless you cut an access hole from below or from the room next door. Often I'll need to do that anyway if I'm reinstalling a new tub in the same location, but not if I'm installing a different style drain with a shower pan or tiled shower that allows connection from above. Needless to say, clients would prefer not to have a hole cut in their ceiling below if they can help it. So, disconnecting the drain first is great if you can, but it isn't really necessary if you can't. I break up the tub around the drain and then do the disconnect after I've removed the big pieces, which gives me room to work. I generally replace the trap anyway, so damage to the drain itself isn't a concern.
maybe you misunderstood...uncoupling the drain and overflow pipes is done sitting in the tub...
The overflow escutcheon can be unscrewed from the side of the tub if you like, but reaching down into the stud bay to remove the overflow pipe is sometimes difficult or impossible. As for the drain, if you've figured out a way to unscrew a 30 year old two-part brass drain assembly from a cast or steel tub I'd love to hear it! Anytime I've tried it I find that it might as well be welded in place. The brass cross brace breaks off before anything moves. As I said, though, I don't find any risk in just leaving it in place while I break up the tub. In fact, it makes it less risky to leave the trap assembly in place until you have better access so that water doesn't spill out and stain any drywall or plaster on the ceiling below.
enduringcharm Often times with brass drains that weld them selves together if you have the ability to plug it up so that it doesn’t drain, such as putting the drain stopper in and let the top piece be submerged in Coca-Cola for about 30 minutes it will break free
A lot of people think cutting out a bathtub is fine (and it is), but they never think about how they’re going to get a new one in. Sometimes walls need to be cut...
I've always been able to avoid cutting or moving studs, although I have had to remove more drywall than was otherwise necessary in order to buy another half inch or inch. It's definitely an art to get a new tub or pan into some of these older spaces.
Come on put ya back into it!!!!
Great video. Thank you for posting. I'd take the sledge back to Home Depot and try to get your money back!!!
i removed my bath tub now and I have no where to shower...
why not cut the cast iron tub too?
It's very difficult to cut--you'd go through a lot of blades and you'd be there a long time!
Oh my that looks like a HUGE job! Ugh. I have watched a lot of videos that say its "ok " to paint the tub. On here you say it doesn't last. I am so torn now. I thought the paint would be an easy fix to this pink yes I said PINK bath tub we have. To tear it out seems to big of a job. Poo. I am at square one again.
+Lipstick Drumstick If your tub is stamped steel rather than the cast steel shown in this video, the job isn't quite so violent. Stamped steel tubs can be cut up with a reciprocating saw. In either case, though, the paint "solution" is just a band-aid that may not look that great initially and which will certainly fail long before the rest of the bath needs remodeling again. More often than not, the right thing to do is also the hardest thing to do.
Try doing all that without disturbing the wall tile.......it isnt fun
handyman 1031 I wouldn't try!
Do yourself a favor. It saves a ton of energy and frustration. Use a diamond saw on an angle grinder and cut down through the tub wall in small enough increments to easily crack out the small segment with a sledge. I did this for a shower tub. Piece of cake, less energy expended and you can decide how big a segment you wish to carry out to the dumpster or recycle.
There is some danger in using a grinder in close quarters like this, especially when debris is all around. The sparks are a fire hazard, and the flying chips of porcelain and metal are not great for the eyes or the lungs. I use grinders outdoors doing body and frame work on my vehicles, but that's less of a danger. Since I'm working on customer homes, I prefer not to introduce a potential fire hazard which could shut down my business for good.
@@enduringcharm True, however, being a safety trainer for a part of my career, all precautions you mention were met. Hitting a shower tub with a sledge with no precuts and in close quarters is difficult. The tub (and it’s only a shower tub) was not going to be moved down two flights of steps without safety danger and much difficulty, even using as many hands as we could get in a tight stairway. That was the greater safety issue. Grinding was done with safety goggles (not glasses), a respirator, steel tips, work gloves and ear plugs and earphones. Fire extinguisher was just outside the room at the ready within reach of my partner who was outfitted similarly. Made short work of it, no sweat, cut in the corners and at the side midpoints. Swing, they fell as “flat” plates. Grinds cleaned up with shop vac. Manageable tub pieces recycled at local center.
as fun as this looks, i am also a tired, old man. i might try a sawsall, or maybe a younger, less tired man
Believe me, for my tired old body I use the quickest most effective method! For cast iron, the only other effective method for cutting it up is a grinder with a metal cutting wheel. However, that has significant drawbacks, including being a fire hazard with the sparks, a continuous danger to your eyes, and spreading airborn debris. So, for cast iron I stick with the sledge. For other types, though, a reciprocating saw with the appropriate blade is my go-to method.
Sound like the “bike guy”?
Another Jersey boy?
Why did he remover several sections of the tile?
The tub will be effectively pinned in by the tile because the tile is installed after the tub is in place. To remove the tub you need to remove the tile that overlaps the lip of the tub at a minimum.
I take out the whole thing without having to swing a hammer
There are multiple reasons why that would be impossible for most remodelers. A cast iron tub requires a minimum of two people to carry and many of us work alone. Physically removing a cast iron tub whole is sometimes impossible without removing wall surfaces down to the studs in order to gain enough space, and that may not be in the budget. Getting the tub out of the bath, down the stairs and out the door through finished living space is a big risk. I'm on the hook if I dent Mrs. Smith's hardwood floors or scratch her furniture. I have a DEP license to bring construction debris to a local transfer station for disposal. However, I have to unload the debris when I get there, and that's easier done if the tub is in pieces rather than whole. Plus, the regulations state that any item longer than four feet which could jam up their garbage crusher has to be shortened. A five foot cast iron tub won't be accepted. Breaking up the tub in place may be a pain, but it's really the only way I can do it.
8:14
Great job on an ugly tub.
Umm demolish not remove.. Lady asks can you remove my toilet..guy says no problem.,.. grabs sledge hammer.. lol
Well, to remove a cast iron bathtub your other option is to have two people available. You'll need to remove the tub walls and probably cut an access hole from below in order to remove the drain. Two people can wiggle out the tub as long as it's in an alcove. If the entire bathroom is only as wide as the tub, you'll need to remove drywall or plaster in order to slide out the tub. Once out, you'll need to carry the 300 pound tub through the finished space of the house without causing damage to the house or your backs. Now that you have it outside you'll still need to take a sledgehammer to the tub and break it up. In my area as in many others, the transfer stations or dumps will not accept uncompressable materials over four feet long. The compactors will jam up and you'll be fined. This is true whether you have a license to bring debris yourself or if you use a dumpster. So, that's why it makes sense just to break it up or cut it up from the get-go.